Airship.



l. I. ZIPERSTEIN & A. C. KAPLAN.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED 0:024. 1915.

Patented May 29, 1 917 Emm :2, R14 @212? C7 Z 1 v; iA/ zj I. I. ZIPERSTEIN & A. C. KAPLAN.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24. I915.

Patented May 29, 1917.

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- MRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 24, 195- 1,228, 1 59. Patented May 29, 1917. v I 6 SHEETS-SHEET 3- l. l. ZIPERSTEIN & A. C; KAPLAN.

AIRSHIP.

APPLICATlON FILED DEC.24 I915. 1,228,159. Patented May 29, 1917.

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AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 24. I915.

1,228,1 59. Patented May 29, 1917.

6 SHEETSSHEET 5.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISRAEL I. ZIPERS'IEIN, OF NEW YORK, AND ABRAHAM C. KAPLAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS OF FIFTEEN ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO NATHAN SCI-IREIBER, FIFTEEN ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO AARON SCI-IREIBER, FIFTEEN ONE-HUNDREDTHS TO BENJA- MIN KAISER, AND FIYE ONE-HUNDRED'IHS TO BENJAMIN OPPENHEIM, ALL OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND ONE THIRTY-SECOND '10 KATE ZUCKER, OF CHICA GO, ILLINOIS.

. AIRSHIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29,1917.

Application filed December 24, 1915, Serial No. 68,468.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat We, ISRAEL IQZIPERST IN, a subject of the Czar of Russia, and a resident-of the city, county, and State of New York, United States of America, and ABRAHAM C. KAPLAN, formerly a sub ect of the Czar of Russia, and having declared his intention of becoming a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, city and State of New York, have jointly invented certain new and use ful improvements in Airships, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to. airships and it embodies both heavier than air and lighter than air principles. One of the principal objects of our invention is to pro vide, in a machine built at least partly on the lighter than air principle, for greater stability, by arranging the gas tanks, bags or containers, and by disposing the weight of the supported structure, so that the swinging and swaying motion offthe machine may be reduced to a minimum. By increasing the steadinessof the machine so that it is more responsive to the regulated controlling devices it is possible to control its movements with greater precision, both as to its elevation and descent and as to its lateral movements.

Another object of our invention is to dispose ,the weight of the sub-structure or carrying portion of the machine in relation to the supporting bags so that the machine will be very stable-and yet be very compact,.

the machine as a'whole being of a less overall height than in former machines of the lighter than air or combined lighter and heavier than air types. This facilitatesthe starting of the machine in the initial ascent and it facilitates the descent and landing. Another and incidental advantage thereof is that a machine .of a given carrying capacity made according to our invention may be housed in a hangar of less height than one made according to present practice. The economic advantages of a comparatively low hangar are well known and need not be here set forth.

Another object of our invention is to combine with the flying machine or airshlp proper, a floating body in the form of a boat and to so dispose it as to render the machine as a whole very stable when floatng upon a body of water. Another object is to so arrange the boat and the frame of;

the machine that the machine as a whole will be-very compact, rigid and comparatlvely light. By disposing the gas containers and boat in theirelation hereinafter machine" when traveling on water.

Another object of the invention is to so dispose the'difi'erentparts thereof and to so construct the framework thereof as to provide a very rigid construction, with a comparatively light framework. 7

Another object of our invention is to combine in an airship of the lighter than air class, guiding and supporting planes in a. novel and effective manner to increase the .steadiness of the machine and to improve the control thereof. The planes are so arranged that they donot require special or additional framework construction other than what would be required without them. q Another object of the invention is to provide a plurality of independent gas bags or containers for supporting purposes and. to

so position them as to form a very strong and compact machine. And to so connect the several bags that the gas may be transferred from one to another during flight to preserve an equality of pressure in the several bags or to vary theirgas pressures,

Thus, the damaged bag may be partly or wholly relieved of its pressure and at least part of its gas and, of course, its llftmg power, may be stored in the undamaged bag or bags. In this manner it may be possible a to save at least part of the gas ,from the damaged bag. The liftingpower 0f the gas which is thus saved will aid materially insupporting the airship and it will either permit the ship to continue its course to a greater extent than otherwise or it will at least permit of a more gradual descent.

Another object of our invention'is to arrange the airship control in the boat portion thereof, so that the control will be from the same position whether the ship is traveling in .the air or on the water.

Another object of our invention is to provide auxiliary elevating or lifting means in the form of movable or flapping wings which will automatically permit the air to pass therethrough on their upward movement and displace the air on their downward movement. These auxiliary devices may be used at all times for partially lifting or supporting the aiggship or theymay be used only for making r pid ascents.

Another object of our invention is to provide a number of propellers and separate motors therefor, so disposed as to improve .the balance and steadiness of the airship. v

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel anddurable rudder construction.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description hereinafter made.

In the drawings forming part of this application,

a Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete airship,

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof,

Fig. 3 is an end elevation,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the rear half of the airship, on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale, V

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing the rear half of the airship,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view, taken on the line 77 of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the connection through which the inovable wings are operated,

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a portion of one of the movable wings,

Fig. 10 is an inverted plan view thereof,

Fig. 11 is a sectional View, taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. .9, and

Fig. 12 is a similar view on an enlargedscale.

The supporting means consists, primarily, of a plurality of gas bags and we have shown herein three such ba s disposed at the apices of a triangle having its base disposed horizontally in relation to the airship. The bag 1 which is at the upper apex of the triangle may be of any desired shape and herein it is shown as a long cylindrical body, having pointed ends 2,.3 fore and aft. This bag (and, likewise the others hereinafter referred to), may consist of a shell of aluminun; or it may. consist of an interior framework covered with oilsilk or any other material suitable for the purpose, the particular construction of the bag forming no part of our present invention. The purpose of the bag, as is obvious, is to hold a supply of gas angular frames, each consisting of a cross bar 6 anddiagonal bars, 7,'8, connected to the ends of the bags by caps, 9, to which they are bolted, the caps, 9, being secured to the tapered ends of the respective bags. There; is preferably arranged an intermediate and vertical bar, 10, in these frames, which extends from the upper bag, 1, to the cross bar, 6, and it extends below the latter in the form of a flat bar, 11, of increasing depth, secured at the bottom to the bow or stern of the boat,'12.

The boat, 12, consists of a hull, 13, curved fore and aft, decks 14 and 15 and an inclosed cabin, 16. Fuel supply tanks 17 for carrying the supply of fuel, such as gasolene, for the several motors, are arranged in the hull of the boat. The boat itself is supported by aframe structure from the gas bags vertically below the higher as bag, 1, and. below and between the side a 4, 5.

There is a plate 18 secured a ong the bottom of the bag, 1, and similar plates 19, 20 are secured along the bottoms of the bags, 4, and 5, respectively, to which supporting and brace rods are connected. Upright fram members 21 extend down from the plate 18 and are connected with and partly support the boat 12 and they are connected by cross bars 22. Between the bars 21 longitudinally of the airship, are diagonally disposed tie rods 23 forming an X between each set of bars 21 and they are connected at the upper ends to the webs 24 on the bars 21' and plate 18 and at the lower ends to webs 25 on the bars 21 .at the top of a roof or deck plane 26 arrangedabove-the boat. There are other diagonal tie rods 27 at the forward end of the airship. These tie rods provide longitudinal rigidity for the framework as a whole.

The deck plane 26 is connected with the boat proper by suitable stanchions 28 at each side. a

The above described frame work comprises the means by which the boat and associated parts are supported in so far as the upper gas bag is. concerned. There is a lateral framework by which they are supported from the lower gas bags 4, 5 and preferably this lateral frame carries the propellers and their motors beneath the lower bags. This framework comprises, preferably two similar sections-A and B at each side of the airship and each of these consists of an upper horizontal beam 29 extending throughthe boat, lower beams 30 extending outwardly and upper and lower brackets or bracers 31. There are upright supports 32 connecting the plates 19, 20 on the bottoms of the bags 4, 5 with the respective outer portions of the beams 29 and 30, whereby the framework is partially supportedfrom the lower gas bags. On each of the frames A and B, there are upper and lower platforms 33 and 34 the former of which supports each a fuel supply tank 35 am] (110 lnwor Hill's mp mrting the motors 36. There are shown eig'luinotors, four at each Flllv of tlll airship and two on each of the frames A and B. The several motors, which are preferably of the hydrocarbon type are individually supplied with fuel from their respective feed tanks 35, and the fuel is pumped to the latter through pipes'36 from the several storage tanks 17 in the boat."

There is a propeller 37 on the shaft 38 of each of the motors, the forward propeller of each pair acting as a tractor and the others acting in the reverse way, sothat all.

the propellers have a tendency to propel the airship in the same direction. This may be effected by arranging the propellers to extend in opposite directions or forwardly and rearwardly from their respective Ino- I tors in the manner shown in the drawings.

By arranging the propellers on the.extended side frames the best results may be obtained because there is less interference or obstruction to their air currents than if they were placed close to the side or ends of the boat or other portions of the airship.

Furthermore, by'arranging the propellers on the extended frames at a distance from the center line of the airship it is possible to. use the propellers for rapid turning in emergencies or to keep the airship in its course against lateral air currents.

This may be accomplished by operating the propellers at one side of the airship alone or by operating those on one side faster than those at the opposite side.

The deck 26 which is arranged over the boat may be used for observation purposes and forvarious other purposes and as it is spaced from the boat the air currents will act upon its under surface and in this way the deck will serve as a steadying and elevating plane. If it is arranged horizontally lll relation to the keel of the airship as a whole it will serve as a steadying means during horizontal flight and it will assist in the ascending motion of the airship when the latter is inclined upwardly and propelled forwardly. If desired, this plane deck may be normally inclined downwardly from front to rear, so that its elevating action will be continuous.

' We prefer to arrange a plane 39 at the forward end of the airship and we have shown this plane connected between the tapering forward ends of the lower gas bags; and it is braced by the rods 40, which are connected at one end to the plate 1 8 at the bottom of the upper gas bag and at their other end to the middle portion of the plane. Otherrods 41 are connected at one end to the middle rear part of the plane 39 and extend backward and are connected at their rear ends to the ,main framework. The

plane 39 serves to steady the airship and when the latter travels on an inclined keel this plane assists in elevating. If desired, it may be inclined from front to rear so that it will operate at all times as a "lifting or elevating plane. I

There is .a plane 42 near the rear of the airship to correspond with the plane 39 and preferably it is arranged to be movable whereby it may be used as an elevating plane or rudder. For this purpose, we pre-' fer to connect the forward edge of the plane 42 to the cross. bar 43 fixed between the lower gas bags, 'by-a hinge connection 44 whereby the plane may be turned up or down from its hinge. To stiffen and control this plane we have provided triangular braces, consisting of upright bars 45 secured to the forward edge of the plane, to extend upward and downward therefrom; cross pieces 46 arranged between the outer ends of the pair of bars 45; diagonal braces 47 ex-,

tending from the ends --of the bars 45 rearward and connected to the plane 42 at their rear ends. A cable 48 connected to the upper cross bar 46 extends under rollers 49 supported in brackets 50, and then under the rollers 51 supported in the brackets 52 on the deck 26 and then passes to the pilot house 53 from whence the airship "is controlled. There is another cable 54 connected -'with the lower cross-bar 46 and this passes over the roller 49 and under the roller 51 The bers 45, 46 and 47 brace the plane and they distribute the force of the cables 48, 54 upon the plane. The plane 42 may be inclined at any time but preferably, it is turned in cases ofemergency when very rapid ascent or descent is desired.

VVeprefer to mount an elevating rudder 56 to swing upon a hinge 5.7 attached to supports 58 at the& stern of the boat. This riidder is shown provided with a plurality of frames consisting of bars 45, 46, 47 like those on the plane 42 and for similar. purposes. A cable 59 connected with the up er bars 46 passes over a pulley on'the dec 26 and it passes to the pilot house. Another cable 60 is connected to the lower cross bar 46 and it passes over a pulley 51 and to the pilot house. The cables 59, 60 may be operated in the same manner as the cables 48, 54 to move the rudder 56- for the purpose of inclining the airship upwardly for ascending or inclining it downwardly for descending. Preferably, this rudder only will be used ordlilnarily for ascent and descent of the airs 1p.

For steering laterally we have arranged a vertical rudder 61 which is hinged at62 to the upright member 11. This rudder, like the rudder 56 has bars 45, 46 and 47 forming triangular braces for the same purpose as those on the rudder 56. A cable 63 .having a double end is connected with the cross pieces 46 on one side of the rudder 61, and this cable passes over a pulley 64 and extends to the pilot house. A similar cable 65 (see Fig. 3) is connected with bars 46 on the opposite side of the rudder and this cable also passes to the, pilot house. By drawing in on the cable 63 and letting out on the cable 65 the rudder 61 will be turned to guide the airship to the right, and by reversing the operation the airship will be guided to the left.

We have provided elevating or sustaining means in addition to those previously described and these are in the form of movable wings or planes. We have shown four such devices, two at each side of the airship, and as they are all alike a description of one will answer for all of them. a

Each wing 66 consists primarily of a rectangular frame compowd of two superimposed sections 70, 71 which are alike in construction. Each section consists of a nuinber of longitudinal bars 67 connected by a number of cross bars 68 forming many rectangular openings between them. The bars of the two sections are half ,round in cross section and the sections are superimposed with their flat surfaces toward each other. There is a mesh 69, which may consist of a wire screen and it is substantially the size of the wing and it is clamped between the sections 70, 71. There is a sheet of flexible material 72, preferably in the form of a sheet of heavy canvas clamped between the sections 70, 71 and below the mesh 69. This sheet is cut alon lines 73, with cut outs 74 and this forms aps or valves 75 which are free of the sheet 72 along three sides of the former, and these flaps or valves are passed down through the openings in the frame and the adjacent edges of the cuts 73 are sewn or otherwise connected together. In this manner allthe flaps in a row extending lengthwise of the wing and crosswise of the airsh p are connected together to move as one long flap. These flaps hinge from their forward end and they are movable from a position parallel with the frame to the downward position shown in Figs. 11 and 12. The flaps 75 cannot rise above the plane of theframe because they are attached to each other below the bars 67 of the lower frame section 71 and because they are prevented from rising above this plane by the mesh 69 against which they may press. They are free to swing downwardly however to an extent which is limited by flexible connections 76 which are connected at one end to the frame and at the other end to the flap. These flexible connections are arranged at suitable in tervals over the whole wing and they prevent theflaps 75 from swinging down too far to be swung up to the plane of the wing by air pressure. When the flaps 75 lie in the plane of the frame the wing acts as a whole to exert a downward pressure on the air;

and when the wing is moved upwardly the flaps 75 swing downwardlyand freely and they exert comparatively little upward pressure on the air. Their pressure is different when the wing moves downwardly than when it moves upwardly. The frame of each wing is connected by a hinge joint 77 (see Fig. 5) with the stanchions 28, so that they may be swung up and down therefrom.

Brackets formed of castings 78 are connected to the wing frames at different positions thereacross and between the ends of the frames. For each of these brackets 78 there is a pitman 79 fulcrumed thereto at 80. These pitmen are slidable in bearings 81 and the latter swivel on their supports 82. The other end of each of the pitmen 79 is fulcrumed to a crank 82 on a shaft 83 extending across between the frame portions A and B. The wings as will be seen in Fig. 6 move up and down between the frame portions A and B.

' In the hull of the boat there is arranged a motor 84 having a shaft 85 projecting at each end thereof, and on this shaft are gears 86 which mesh with the gears 87 on short shafts 88. On each side of the gears 87 and secured to the shafts 88 there is a sprocket wheel 89. On the crank shaft 83 there are corresponding sprocket wheels 90, the sprocket wheels 89 and 90 being referably arranged in pairs as shown. here are chains 91 traveling around each sprocket wheel 89 and the corresponding sprocket wheel 90. We prefer to employ this duplicate form of drive and to make the parts thereof substantial enough to permit the wings to be operated even if a portion of the drive, such as one or more of the sprocket wheels or chains of a pair, should become disabled in flight.

\Vhen the motor 84 is operated, the power transmitted through the gears 86 and 87, 13:)

sprocket wheels 89, chains 91 and sprocket wheels 90 operates to turn the crank shaft 83. The cranks 82 on the latter operate through the shafts 79 to rock the wings 66 upon their hinges 77.

During the upward movement of the wings. the flaps 75 hang down as shown in Figs. 11 and 12 and the air passes through ing with the bag 1, the pipe 94 communicaton the water.

the open spaces of the wings. But when the wings move downwardly the air first closes the flaps 75 up against the frames and against the mesh 69, and the wing then continues toact downwardly on and. to displace the air below, it and the reaction creates a certain lifting or elevating action on the airship. This wing movement may be utilized formaking rapid ascents but it may also be used continuously as a supplemental sustaining means.

ing with the bag 5 and the pipe 95 communieating-with the bag 4:.

Any suitable valve arranged in the connection, 92, may be, employ'edto control the passage of gas from one bag to the other. A valve handle, 96, extending from the connecti pn, 92, is adapted to belcontrdlled by a rod,

By means of these connections the gas in the several tanks may be properly balanced so that all three tanks will.have the P p bags. 1

This may be desirable where one bag, such as the upper one, has become injured and it is desired to shift the gas therefrom to the bags 4:, 5.

Preferably floats, 98, are arranged on the side frame extensions and under the platforms 34, which rest in the water when the airship is on water and they tend to steady it.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the construction without de parting from the scope of the annexed claims. Some of the features may also be searately used. I

aving described our invention, what we claim is:

1. An airship comprising lighter-than-air supporting means comprising elongated,

spit'cedgas bags orcontainers, triangularly dispose in relation to each other and with two of said bags disposed in a horizontal plane, a supporting structure or frame sus pended below the uppermost bag, side extensions on said frame, connected with the lower bags, and propellers carried on said side extensions. a

2. An airship comprising lighter-than-air supporting means comprising elongated, spaced gas bags or containers, triangularly .disposed in relation to each other and with tWo of said bags disposed in a horizontal plane, a supporting structure suspended below the uppermost bag, side extensions on said frame, connected with the lower bags, and propellerscarried on said side extensions and arranged underneath said lower bags.

3. An airship comprising lighter-than-air supporting means comprising elongated, spaced gas bags or containers triangularly disposed in relation to each other and with two of said bags disposed in a horizontal plane, a supporting structure suspended below the uppermost bag, side extensions on said frame connected to said lower bags, and a plurality of propellers arrangedin axial alinement on each of said side extensions.

' 4. An airship including lighter-than-air supporting means comprising elongated, spaced gas bags or containers, triangularly disposed in' parallel relation to each other and with two of said bags disposed in a horizontal plane, a supporting structure suspended below the uppermost bag, side extensions on said frame suspended from said lower bags, a plurality of propellers carried on said side extensions and motors for said propellers, carried on said side extensions.

supporting means comprising elongated gas bags or containers disposed in triangular and parallel relation to each other, a

supporting structure suspended from the uppermost bag, side extensions connected with the lower bags, movable wings connected with the frame and means on said side extensions for moving the wings.

6. An airship including lighter-than-air supporting means comprising a plurality of gas bags or containers arranged triangularly in relation to each other and with two' thereof on a horizontal plane, a supporting structure suspended from the upper bag and having side extensions suspended from the lower bags, wings hinged to the middle portion of said structure and extending out over the said side extensions and means for swinging said wings.

7 An airship including lighter-than-air supporting means comprising a plurality of gas bags or containers arranged triangularly in relation to each other and with two thereof on a horizontal plane, a supporting structure suspended from the uppenbag ting ineans between said power means and and havin side extensions suspended from sald Operating means.

the lower ags, wings hinged to the middle Signed at the city, count and State of 10 portion of said structure and extending out New York, this 22nd day of ecember, 1915.

- over said side extension, means for operating the wings, power means mounted in the ISRAEL I. ZIPEBSTEIN. mlddle portion of said structure and driv ABRAHAM O. KAPLAN. 

